Don't Blame Global Warming

United Press International reports results of research finding a link between volcanic eruptions and ice sheet melting.

"Over a time span of 1,000 years, we found that volcanic eruptions generally correspond with enhanced ice sheet melting within a year or so," Francesco Muschitiello, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said in a news release.

The volcanoes of note weren't situated next-door, but thousands of miles from the ice sheet, a reminder of the unexpected global impacts of volcanic activity.

The new research -- detailed this week in the journal Nature Communications -- suggests ash ejected into the atmosphere by erupting volcanoes can be deposited thousands of miles away. When it's deposited on ice sheets, the dark particles cause the ice to absorb more thermal energy and accelerate melting.

Global warming, if it in fact exists, plays a smaller role than many believe and is unrelated to volcanic activity. Hat tip to Instapundit Glenn Reynolds for the link.